What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Rice Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactose
HumectantUrea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
ChelatingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Rice Amino Acids, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Cellulose, Sodium PCA, Lactose, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Parfum, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citrus Tangerina Extract
TonicMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningArachidic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingOleic Acid
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoate, Citrus Tangerina Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Arachidic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Phytate, Oleic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Arbutin, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
